All-around halter



Jan. 19 19 26.

Filed July 18, 1925 ED. 5. BECKWITH INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

EDWARD S. lBECKWITH, OF ALBION, NEBRASKA.

ALL-AROUND HALTER.

Application filed July 18, 1925. Serial No. 44,614.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARDS. BECKWITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albion, in the county of Boone and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in All-Around Halters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to halters, its object being the provision of an all around halter having fixed and yieldable adjustments of sufiicient number and so positioned that the halter may be quickly and easily adjusted to the size and form of the heads of any of the animals on which it may be desired to use the halter. Having in view this object and others which will be mentioned in the following description, I will now refer to the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the halter in use as seen on the right side of the animal.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the halter but as seen on the left side of the animal.

Figure 3 shows the connections at the throat portion when the halter is set stationary, and with a separate lead strap.

Figure 4 showsthe same parts as shown in Figure 3, the parts being so adjusted that a pull on the lead strap will draw the halter tight over the nose and over the top of the head of the animal.

Figure 5 shows the connections for de tachably securing the halter to the animals neck.

Figure 6 illustrates a fragment of the halter including portions of the nose piece, left cheek piece, and the chin connection.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective showing the details of the rope clamp.

Since the clamp shown in Figure 7 is used in standardized form at several points in the halter, I will first describe the construction of this clamp. As shown, it comprises two parts 10 and 11 which are simi lar except in the securing means. Each part is provided with a pair of parallel semicylindrical grooves having substantially the same diameter as that of the rope which is to be clamped. Each part also has a pair of pins 12 which are positioned in the grooves and in diagonal relation to each other, the'pins of the two partsbeing oifset so that therewill be a pin at each corner of the clamp. :The part 10 is'provided with a countersunk aperture for. receiving the screw 13, and the part 11 has a screw threaded aperture. The two parts are held together by means of the screw 13 and two pins 12 enter and engage each section of rope, the two pins entering from opposite sides of the rope to increase the gripping action of the clamp. All of the outer edges of the clamp are rounded so as to prevent injury to 'the animal or damage to objects with which it comes into contact. The clamp, however, is powerful enough to resist any slipping of the rope.

The outstanding integral loops which are used in various places in the halter are also standardized and need be but briefly de-- scribed. They-are made by throwing out the strands in succession and twisting them into the form of loops for receiving another section of rope. Such loops areshown at 19, 20, 22, 24,25, and 26.

The throat latch, or that part of the halter passing around the animals neck, has a crown piece 14 and a throat portion 15, the meeting ends being on the'left side of the halter.

16 with a snap fastener 17 secured in the loop. The other end has a clamp 18 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. This clamp'is preferably constructed of heavy steel which is bent so as to tightly engage the rope, the outer ends of the clamp beingcrimped to additionally secure the rope. It is exceedingly important that the clamp 18 be prevented from slipping and in my preferred construction I provide this clamp with several inwardly projecting pins similar to the pins 12 which are shown in Figure 7 The four rope ends of the halter are protected from fraying and unraveling by cast iron clamps having inwardly directed pins for preventing slippage. The" clamp 18 is provided with an eye for receiving the snap fastener 17. The forward portion of the clap 18 between its ends is cut away for the protruding loops 19. Other loops 20 are formed at the base of the 'crownpiece 140m the right hand side of the halter, the loops 19 and 20 being near the animals ears when the halter is in use. The rope is looped with a ring 21 in the loop, the loop being slidably adjustable-by means of the upstanding intergral loops '22. The portion passing around the animals neck will thus have two adjustments, the adjustment One end portion is looped I on itself and clamped by means of a clamp through the loops 22 being yieldable while the adjustment in the overall length is a fixed adjustment by means of the clamp 16.

The main portion of the halter has its end at 23. It is provided with the upstanding integral loops at 24C, 25, and 26. The portion 27 between the loops 25 and 26 constitutes the nose piece of the halter. From the loop 26 the rope passes through the ring 21, thence back and through the loops 26, then through the loops 19 and 20, the part 28 between the loops 19 and 20 being the crown piece. From thence the rope passes through the loops 25 and 24:. The portion between the loops 20 and 25 constitutes the right cheek piece and that part between the loops l9 and 2 6 is the left cheek piece. The slip knot at the loop 26 may be made secure in adjusted position by means of the clamp 28.

When the halter has the adjustment shown in Figures 1 and 2 it serves as a stationary halter. The clamp 29 secures the two portions of rope at a point beyond the ring 21, one of the rope portions being within the ring and the other without. As a result, there are two stops 2-1 and 29 for limiting the sliding of the rope in the ring 21 and the halter will always be comfortably lp'pse on the animals head and neck. If, on the other hand, it is desired to use the halter for leading a fractious animal, the parts may be arranged as shown in Figure 4 with both sections of rope passing through the ring and clamped in that position by means of the clamp 29. A pull on the rope will draw the nose piece 27 and the crown piece 28 simultaneously, and since the halter is made of rope, the combined friction and tension of the halter on both the nose and the neck will help to quickly subdue the most vicious animal.

Thehalter may be used as a stationary halter in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2, or as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3 the lead rope of the halter is cut off and the portion of the rope beneath the loop 24 is passed through the ring 21 and bent upon itself and secured to the rope 23 by placing the clamp 29 in the position shown. This adjustment may, of course, be made by cutting off the lead rope in a new halter, but since the first part of the halter to wear out is the upper portion of the lead rope, it is feasible to use the older halters as shown in Figure 3 and the new halters as shown in Figures 1 and 2. When the animals are tied in their stalls it is the upper portion of the lead rope which chafes and frays as a result of its friction against the manger. It is only necessary then, to cut off the lead rope and to arrange the parts as in Figure 3 for a stationary halter which may be permanently worn. When it is then desired to lead such an animal, a lead strap or rope 30 is used with a snap fastener which is adapted to engage the ring 21.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a halter with numerous adjustments for fitting it to the heads of various farm animals. The throat latch is adjustable by means of the clamp 16, the loops 22 making it possible to maintain the halter symmetrical with respect to the animals neck. The nose piece 27 and the right and left cheek pieces are adjusted through the loops 19, 20, 24, 25, and 26, and the adjustment is made secure by means of the clamp 28, thus necessitating no readjustment as long as the halter is used on the same animal. lVhen fitting the halter to a young colt or other small animal the clamp 16 is first removed and the rope is drawn out of the snap fastener 17 and out of the loops 22, after which the snap fastener is again slipped over the rope and the rope is drawn through the ring 21 until the loops 22 engage the snap fastener 17. The end of the rope is then passed through the loops 22 and carried around to the right side where the loose end of the rope may be clamped to the rope by means of the clamp 16. In this manner the halter may be fitted to a young colt as well as to the largest of the farm animals. hen used as a stationary halter as shown in Figures 1 and 2, there is no binding of the halter on any part of the animal. \Vhen the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 3 the halter may be worn in the pasture or elsewhere without causing discomfort to the animal, and when it is desired to lead the animal, it is only necessary to attach the lead strap to the ring 21. On the other hand, if the animal is likely to give trouble the parts may be arranged as shown in Figure 4. The pulling on the halter then causes considerable tension and friction on the nose, cheeks, and crown of the animals head, and since the halter is made of rope, such tension and friction will quickly render the animal tractable.

The halter may be made out of any kind of rope or out of any other suitable material, but I prefer to use the best grade of one-half inch manila rope which has been treated for waterproofing. When made out of this material the halter will have long life and service, and it will retain its pliability and flexibility so that it can be adjusted whenever desired. The exudations from the animals head and neck further tend to preserve the halter and to maintain it in pliable condition. The only part of the halter which is subjected to more than ordinary wear is that part which chafes against the manger or hitching post. i This, however, means only the loss of the tie rope, the halter after that being serviceable as a stationary halter in the form shown in Figure 3. The clamps are either made of or coated with a noncorrosive material so that they may always be easily adjusted. For this purpose, a galvanized or sherardized metal possesses the advantage of effectiveness combined with low cost.

While I have described my invention in explicit detail, I wish it to be expressly understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the exact structures which I have described, but I reserve to myself the exclusive right to the manufacture and sale of all of the equivalents of the constructions which I claim.

Having thus described my invention in such clear and exact terms as will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A throat latch for a halter, a member provided with an eye secured thereto and at one extremity thereof, the opposite end portion being bent upon itself to form a loop, a clamp for securing said looped portion in adjusted position, and a snap fastener slidably secured in said loop, said snap fastener being adapted to engage said eye for closing said throat latch and the throat portion of said throat latch including two substantially parallel portions having a sliding relationship to each other.

2. A halter comprising an adjustable throat latch and having a ring slidably secured to the throat portion thereof, a nose piece, a crown piece, and cheek pieces, and a tie piece integral with said nose piece, crown piece and cheek pieces, said tie piece being adapted to be passed through said ring whereby tension on said tie piece will tension said nose piece, crown piece and cheek pieces againstthe animals head.

3. A halter comprising two lengths of rope, one of said lengths of rope constituting the throat latch and having a ring loosely secured thereto at the throat portion thereof, the other of said lengths of rope being formed to pass over the nose of the animal, then through the said ring, then over a cheek and the crown of the animal, and finally down over the opposite cheek of the animal and terminating in a tie rope.

4;. A halter including a throat latch having a ring loosely secured thereto at the throat portion thereof, a crown piece parallel and contiguous to the crown portion of said throat latch, cheek pieces integral with said crown piece, said crown piece and cheek pieces having means for slidably adjusting them with relation to said throat latch, a nose piece integral with said cheek pieces, means for slidably adjusting said nose piece with relation to said cheek pieces, a clamp for securing said nose and cheek pieces in adjusted relation, and a tie rope integral with one of said cheek pieces and passing through said ring.

5. A halter comprising a throat latch, integral crown, nose, and cheek pieces, means on opposite sides of the halter for slidably adjusting said crown and cheek pieces relative to said throat latch, means on opposite sides of the halter for slidably adjusting said nose piece and cheek pieces relative to each other, said crown, nose, and cheek pieces being integral, and a tie rope integral with said crown, nose, and cheek pieces, said tie rope being the continuation of said nose piece.

6. A halter including an adjustable throat latch having a ring loosely secured thereto at the throat portion thereof, integral crown, nose and cheek pieces, means for adjusting said nose and cheek pieces in relation to each other, said nose piece and one of said cheek pieces having their junction in said ring and at one side of the animals head, the cheek piece and the nose piece at the opposite side of the animals head terminating in the end portions of the rope, the end portion of the cheek piece passing through said ring and constituting the tie rope of said halter, the end portion of said nose piece being slidably secured to the contiguous cheek piece adjacent said ring and being adapted to pass either through or without said ring, and a clamp for securing the end portion of said nose piece to said tie rope, the arrangement being such that when the end portion of said nose piece passes through said ring, tension on the tie rope will simultaneously tension the nose piece, crown piece, and cheek pieces of the halter.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD S. BEGKWITH. 

